(Sports Network) - First place in the American League East will be on the line on Thursday when the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles begin an important four-game series at Camden Yards. After Baltimore pulled even with the Yankees atop the division on Tuesday, New York managed to go a game ahead of the upstart Os on Wednesday, as they salvaged the finale of their three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays, while Buck Showalters crew lost in Toronto. "This is what you think about as little kids," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "You imagine in your head about playing in important games in the backyard, and you think about it coming up through the Minor Leagues, that you want to be in this situation. Its exciting." New York, of course, led the Orioles by 10 games on July 18, but won for just the fifth time in 15 games on Wednesday, as Ichiro Suzuki and Steve Pearce scored on Elliot Johnsons throwing error in the seventh inning and the Yankees escaped with a 6-4 victory. Russell Martin hit a solo homer and knocked in three runs for the Yankees, while Alex Rodriguez added an RBI. New York starter Hiroki Kuroda (13-10) gave up four runs on eight hits over six innings. The Japanese right-hander had lost his previous two starts. "You dont want to get swept here," said Girardi. "We want to continue to try to play better and we had an outstanding game." Baltimore, meanwhile, had a three-game winning streak stopped with a 6-4 loss to the Blue Jays. The Orioles had taken two of three from the Yankees in the Bronx last weekend, before winning the first two of their three-game set with the Jays. If the Orioles are going to make any headway against the Yankees this weekend they will need to be better at home against them. The Yanks have won four of five in Baltimore this season and 21 of 29 there since last losing a series of at least two games there April 6-9, 2009. "Its fun, Im looking forward to it," said Orioles slugger Mark Reynolds, who is hitting .391 (9-for-23) with six home runs, 13 RBIs and eight runs scored in his last six games. "This whole weekend should be a great time." The Orioles on Thursday welcome back righty Jason Hammel, who hasnt pitched since July 13 because of a knee injury. Hammel was 8-2 with a 2.61 ERA after beating Washington on June 22, but lost his next four starts and saw his ERA jump to 3.54. "This is another level," Showalter said. "Hes been out of this for a while." He is 1-3 in 13 games (7 starts) versus the Yankees with a 6.75 ERA. New York, meanwhile, will counter with right-handed rookie David Phelps, who did not get a decision on Saturday against the Os. Phelps gave up three runs and three hits in 4 2/3 inning of that one, but walked six batters in the 4-3 win. Phelps is 3-4 on the year with a 3.13 ERA. The Yankees have split 14 games with the Os this season. wholesale nfl jersey . Francis earned his first victory in more than a month and the Rockies used two unearned runs to beat Ian Kennedy and the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 on Wednesday night to conclude disappointing seasons for both teams. cheap nfl jerseys . The Bayern Munich player fractured his left foot in July and was unlikely to recover in time for the Sept. 11 Group C game in Vienna. "Alaba wont be added to the squad even if he gets fit just in time," Koller said Tuesday. http://www.wholesalejerseysamerica... . Taylor Heinicke says the seniors were there first when Old Dominions fourth- year football program was being built to a high level of success. [url=http://www.wholesalejerseysamerican.com/]cheap jerseys . The Cleveland Cavaliers, meanwhile, got nothing but bad news. Brandon Jennings scored 28 points and Milwaukee gained ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race with a 121-84 rout over the Cavaliers. nfl jerseys china . Nicknamed "Miku," Fedor struck in the 63rd and 71st minutes as Getafe scored five goals in a game for the first time this season. Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo scored from a spectacular overhead kick to give the visitors a 19th-minute lead, but Miguel Torres equalized in the 35th.(Sports Network) - The top-seeded Vancouver Canucks will try to get on the board in their Western Conference quarterfinal series when they visit the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center tonight for Game 3 of this best-of-seven set. Cory Schneider will get his first start of the series in net for the Canucks and his first-ever against the Kings. The Canucks have to be shocked to find themselves in an 0-2 hole in this series. After all, Vancouver is the defending Western Conference champions and is also coming off its second straight Presidents Trophy as the NHL team with the best record during the regular season. Despite those accolades, the eighth-seeded Kings, who havent won a playoff series since 2001, posted a pair of 4-2 wins in Games 1 and 2 in Vancouver. Los Angeles, which was 22-14-5 at the Staples Center this season, will try to take control of this series with a win in tonights home game. The Kings will also host Wednesdays Game 4 in the City of Angels. LA captain Dustin Brown tallied a pair of shorthanded goals to help the Kings take the 4-2 decision on Friday night at Rogers Arena. Brown, the first King to score shorthanded in the playoffs since Dave Taylor on June 3, 1993 against Montreal in the Cup Finals. also had an assist to help the Kings take a 2-0 lead back to their home arena. Jarret Stoll and Trevor Lewis also scored while Jonathan Quick posted 46 saves for Los Angeles, which hasnt won a postseason series since beating Detroit in the 2001 conference quarterfinals. "Were up 2-0 and of course thats what we wanted coming away from here," said Brown. "I think its important for us to hit the reset button because this team can dominate when they want to." Jannik Hansen and Samuel Pahlsson each lit the lamp for the for the Canucks, who have lost three straight playoff games at home, ddating back to last springs loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.dddddddddddd "I dont think Ive been in this situation before," said Pahlsson. "But were not going to sit here and feel sorry for ourselves. Were going to get back together and play hard when we come out on the ice on Sunday." Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo was touched for all four goals on 27 shots. He has allowed seven goals on 64 shots for an .891 save percentage in this series. Vancouver once again played without star forward Daniel Sedin, who sat out the last nine games of the regular season and the first two tests of this series with a concussion. Sedin, who led Vancouver with 30 goals this season, has been skating on his own, but he did not make the trip to Los Angeles and will miss another test this evening. As if giving up two shorthanded goals to the Kings in Game 2 wasnt enough, Vancouver is also 0-for-10 on the power play in this series. The Canucks had the NHLs fourth-ranked power-play unit during the regular season. "Those are obviously momentum killers, you go out on the power play looking to generate chances and a couple unfortunate plays and its in the back of our net," said Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa of the short-handed goals and Vancouvers issues on the power play. "Theres no secret we need to be better on our power play. We have to get on the same page, thats what it comes down to. The five guys have to get on the same page." Los Angeles and Vancouver have met four times in the postseason, with the Canucks winning the previous encounter in the 2010 conference quarterfinals. The Kings had won the previous two series (1991 and 1993) after the Canucks began this matchups history with a five-game victory in a 1982 meeting. Vancouver was 24-12-5 as the guest this season. ' ' '